"Don't be stupid, be a smarty. Come and join the Nazi party"
Overview: Producers Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom make money by producing a sure-fire flop. A flop titled Springtime for Hitler.
Plot and Pacing: You can tell this is Brooks first feature film because it would be an understatement to call this film uneven. The Producers has flashes of greatness, particularly the performance of the musical Springtime for Hitler that ultimately saves the movie from being the farce. The first act though, is terribly sluggish and actor Zero Mostel was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard for much of the movie. Even though this is a comedy, the large gaps in logic are hard to overlook, for instance, why Gene Wilder's character would fall in with this con artist in the first place.
The Players: As I noted before, "star" Zero Mostel performance was annoying and obnoxious though I feel like it was meant to be like that. Still, it's hard to sympathize with a character you can't stand. Gene Wilder once again saves this movie. In one of his early roles, Wilder shows his trademark charm and wit. Kenneth Mars shines as the Nazi sympathizer who just wants his love for the furor to be on display. It's a shame he passed this past year. Lee Meredith is gorgeous as the foreign secretary who stole the scene every time she was on screen.
The Verdict: This would not be a film I would show a Mel Brooks virgin to. No, Young Frankenstein or Blazing Saddles are his classics that will be remembered 50 years from now. The Producers is an uneven film in which actors and musical numbers rise it above mediocrity. Check this out if you're a Mel Brooks fan.
6/10
Join me tomorrow as I review another Mel Brooks film, Robin Hood: Men in Tights
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